Chance me for NYU ED, and Washu EDII. also help find a better list of unis is possibles :)

Chance Me / Match Me!
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Demographics: Male, Nigerian, US Citizen
Intended Major: Business with a concentration in Finance or Economics, hoping to pursue a career in investment banking.
State/Location of residency: Waterbury Connecticut
*Other special factors (first generation to college, legacy, athlete, etc.): I don’t know, my parents got their degrees outside of the state and I saw that if parents didn’t get a degree in the US you are considered first gen but other schools say as long as they got a degree.

Intended Major(s)

GPA, Rank, and Test Scores
UW/W GPA: 3.96 UW, 4.56 W
Class Rank: 17/250
ACT/SAT Scores: Test Optional

Coursework
(AP/IB/Dual Enrollment classes: 8 APS/2 Dual Enrollments

Awards
▻ New England Scholastic Press Association Award 2022
▻ Certificate in Finance from Precision Exam 2022
▻ Was selected for Artrageous 2023 and had artwork shown in Mattatuck Museum
▻ Harvard Book Award 2023
▻ National Honors Society 2023
▻ Certificate given by participating and helping with Dyslexia Walk 2023
▻ Certified in Dementia Care from CARES Certification 2023

Extracurriculars
▻ Fitness Club ( September 2021 - December 2021 )
▻ President/Founder of MultiCultural Club ( October 2022 - Ongoing )
▻ National Honors Society Treasurer ( May 2023 - Ongoing )
▻ Upward Bound TRIO Student Leader ( 2022 - Ongoing )
▻ Key Club ( 2022 - Ongoing )
▻ Y.E.S Club Treasurer ( 2022 - Ongoing )

Essays/LORs/Other Though this may seem unoriginal I wrote my essay around how my childhood home burned down during covid and how I went through an enlightening experience due to that. I can’t read LORs so I wouldn’t know but I do know that I have great relationships with the teachers I asked LORs from.

Schools
(List of colleges by your initial chance estimate; designate if applying ED/EA/RD; if a scholarship is necessary for affordability, indicate that you are aiming for a scholarship and use the scholarship chance to estimate it into the appropriate group below)
Safety Baruch ( Hopefully Macaulay Honors ), Fordham University, Penn State
Match University of Connecticut, Lafayette College ( Legacy )
Reach NYU (ED), Washu (EDII), UVA, and BC

If you guys think that maybe some Safties and Matches aren’t really Safties or Matches then please tell me I am up for any criticism! Thanks for taking time out your day to read and help if you do and have a nice afternoon!

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What is your budget / cost concerns?

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My parents told me they set aside money for me from a very young age so I shouldn’t worry about cost concerns I should go and get the best education I can possibly get.

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Also note I forgot to mention I managed to ascertain 113 Hours of Community Service hours. I forgot to write it down out of anxiety I don’t think it would make a difference though.

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How are you a legacy at Lafayette if your parents were educated overseas?

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OK - best is - in the eye of the beholder. Best doesn’t mean - highest pedigree, etc.

That said, if you want to be in Ibanking - and today that doesn’t just mean NY - it’s also Charlotte, Atlanta, Nashville, Austin, Denver, etc. but you have Fordham on here and many reference it. It’s not on any feeder lists but people in the know seem to highlight it so it’s good it’s on your list. Rutgers does show up on feeder lists. I know of a money management firm (not Wall Street or I Banking) but they are all Lafayette grads. If you have UVA and Penn State, maybe add Rutgers.

I think Va Tech Pamplin, I’ve seen people on Wall Street - but it’s going to be miniscule.

TO is going to eliminate some schools - like Va Tech, a UGA and UF would have minimal but not no success but are not TO. So a UF and UGA are out (whereas a Va Tech is not - you can go TO there).

You might look at Elon and Syracuse - but you certainly have a few on there that will happen. Connecticut College might be another - since you have an LAC on there. Whether or not they work for Wall Street - I don’t know. But there are exceptions at many schools - kids that make it to places where they wouldn’t normally.

Best of luck.

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Just posting to let you know I think your list looks quite solid and well-reasoned. There are always more you can add, but I definitely don’t think you need to.

Also, Penn State is rolling, so if you have not already, I would get that app in ASAP.

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My older brother went to Lafayette

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Thanks for the in-depth answer I appreciate it. I will look at all your suggestions I was thinking of Rutgers but my friends talked me out of it, I may need to do some digging on their programs and things of that nature relating to that institution. I didn’t think of Elon or Syracuse I’ll definitely look into those as well.

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Thank you I appreciate it, yea I’m nearly done with my Penn State app I just need one more teacher to get in their LOR, I’ve just been waiting here patiently.

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I think that you have acceptances on your list - it’s just a question of do you need to expand it - and if so, then to whom. But as @NiceUnparticularMan notes, you don’t need to.

SMU is another that does decently in IB and they’d love you.

Top Feeders to Wall Street (■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■)

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Oh, I didn’t see this I’ve been using the peakframeworks IB Top Feeder list while researching but this list appears to be quite different from the peakframeworks thanks!

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If you google a school + investment banking + linkedin, inevitably you’ll find alums - but not the concentration you will at the top schools.

But don’t forget a few things:

  1. The world is changing - the industry of yesterday may (or may not) be the industry of tomorrow.

  2. I-Banks are like most other businesses - they still have finance, marketing, HR, compliance, legal, etc. - so for example, i work in automotive, but I don’t build or design or engineer cars, etc.

My point being - it’s not just that someone from Va Tech works at Goldman…they do…but what are they actually doing in that role.

Find the right schools for you. You have to be there four years, day after day.

If you want something bad enough, you’ll find it.

My son was at Alabama in engineering (a fine b school - Culverhouse). He applied, on the recommendation of a former poster here to Jane Street Capital and they reached out the next day.

So obviously some schools are better and far better than others - but even if you went to SUNY Oneonta, etc. or Hofstra…it doesn’t mean you are eliminated.

Careers and lives are a marathon, not a sprint.

Yes, find the best place to pursue your goals but also be cognizant that you will be there four years, day after day.

Penn State and Lafayette - other than sharing a state name, share little else - so which type of school is best for you?

Good luck.

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With the interest in investment banking, OP may find this thread of interest. I’m sure the expert in that thread would be happy to answer questions if you tag/DM.

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Oh wow I really wasn’t expecting such detailed responses I appreciate you all taking time out of your day to inform me. I do need to change my thinking a bit when I think of IB I usually think of one specific section of the corporation, starting to realize theres other parts to it so even if I don’t get into a “Target”or “Feeder” Im not out of running thanks. :grin:

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If your parents have college educations, I don’t think that you’d be considered first gen. There are a lot of Nigerian MDs in the US, and I’m sure that the colleges are not considering their kids to be first gen to college.

I think that UConn Storrs is more of a safety for you than a match. I cannot see you not getting into UConn Storrs. For this reason, I’d bag the Penn State application. Costs a lot more, very remote location, UConn is better academically. They’ll probably give you a 5K/yr “diversity” scholarship, too. Unless your family is eligible for need-based fin aid at private institutions, then this is absolutely your best value, by far. Not worth paying another 200K for any other private school on your list, except maybe NYU or Columbia, because of the possibility of internships on Wall Street during the school year.

Legacy is if your parent went there. Despite that, you will get into Lafayette, I think, and especially if your sibling is full pay there (in which case the college knows that you probably will be full pay, too).

I’m wondering if you should throw in a Hail Mary application to Columbia, and maybe Wharton, too, in particular if you were to manage to work race into your application essay. Make sure to do the same for your other reaches - the Supreme Court said that schools could consider an applicant’s reported experience of race, so take full advantage of that.

Should you be looking at top liberal arts colleges (“little Ivies”) because of potential connections for internships on Wall Street? Perhaps Amherst? Williams? Swarthmore? You see, I think that you have a chance at all of your reaches, but I’m not sure that they’re the right place for you. Getting into investment banking is about internships and connections. You want to get into a great school that will also help you to get those things. I don’t think that you’ll get into an Ivy, but I do think that you have a shot at a “little Ivy”.

Don’t underestimate the fact that you may get a boost from being a highly qualified African American male. Yes, the recent SC decision might have some effect on that, but colleges want to keep their demographic/diversity balance - they are looking for you! This is why I am encouraging you to reach a little bit higher, for your reaches.

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I think your list is reasonable, besides U Conn belonging on the lower level.

Consider matches of Northeastern, Babson, BU, Tulane, U Miami, U Richmond.

As far as IB goes, these days your college GPA (assuming similar to your HS) will get you a look from most of your institutions.

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Maryland and Wisconsin, too.

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